From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishhit on somebody/something phrasal verb1 (also hit upon something)IDEA to have an idea or discover something suddenly or unexpectedly SYN come up with Then we hit on the idea of asking viewers to donate money over the Net.2 SYSEXY American English informal to talk to someone in a way that shows you are sexually attracted to them Dave has hit on most of the women in the department. → hit→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
hit on the idea of• We hit on the idea of a speak-out as a way to stop antiabortion opponents from setting the terms of the debate.• Organizers soon hit on the idea of broadening the January take by asking people to send money directly to the White House.• The plan might well have died then, had not Whiston hit on the idea of combining sound and light.• Dalek firepower threatens to destroy the expeditionary force until the attackers hit on the idea of disabling the city's power generators.• Edouard, searching around for a replacement, hit on the idea of Hugo Glendinning. 